Hello, I am a student at GCE lab school, and in this class “Cure” we have been learning about different types of surgeries, treatments, and cures. We learned about healers and treatments, and we also learned about the difference between over-the-counter medicines, prescribed medicines, and home remedies. Over-the-counter medicines are medicines that you can get just at the closest Walgreen like Alka seltzer, prescribed medicines are medicines that are confirmed by a doctor and regulated the use, and home remedies are things like chicken noodle soup. For this Action project, we were meant to research a bodily symptom, and write and research about the different types of treatments for that symptom. For my action project, I chose to research the symptoms of nausea/vomiting (since they usually come together).
Nausea and vomiting usually come together, because nausea is what happens prior to vomiting. When people have nausea they have an unpleasant/uneasy feeling in their stomach like a stomach ache, but it’s not just in their stomach, it’s also in their esophagus. Many things can trigger nausea-like pregnancy, certain medications, food poisoning, long car rides, roller coasters, certain odors/smells, and certain diseases and sicknesses. A common reason for getting nauseous is pressure changes from motion like when you're in a moving vehicle.
Ondansetron is a prescribed medication that treats nausea and vomiting. The most common side effects of this medication could be diarrhea, constipation, headache, or tiredness/drowsiness. The dosage for this medication depends on the cause of nausea and vomiting. For highly Emetogenic Cancer Chemotherapy the recommended dose is 24mg. There are a few warnings for taking this medication. The most common brand names for this medication are Zofran and Zuplenz. The active ingredient in Zofran is Ondansetron, and the other ingredients are hypromellose, iron oxide yellow, lactose, magnesium stearate, microcrystalline cellulose, pregelatinized starch, triacetin, and titanium dioxide. People shouldn’t take Ondansetron if they have allergies to any of the ingredients, or if they have allergies to medications that are similar to Ondansetron. It’s important for them to inform their doctor if they have liver disease or phenylketonuria.
Ondansetron. Intropin (Mark Oniffrey). Wikimedia. 2020. CC BY-SA 4.0. Nothing Changed
What Ondansetron does, is when it goes into the body it blocks serotonin in the body, because serotonin can cause nausea and vomiting. The serotonin that the medication blocks is triggered by surgery, cancer chemotherapy, and radiation treatment.
Bismuth subsalicylate is an over-the-counter medication that is for upset stomachs. The medication treats heartburn, nausea/upset stomachs, and indigestion. It is currently mostly used for upset stomachs and diarrhea. The most commonly known brand for bismuth subsalicylate is Pepto-Bismol. Other brand names are Bismusal, Peptic relief, Pink Bismuth, and Stomach Relief. Before taking Bismuth subsalicylate it is important to look at the warnings which are to not take the medication if you are allergic to aspirin or other salicylates and to not take it if you have any internal bleeding problems. The most common side effects that can come from this medication are constipation and dark-colored stools. Pepto-Bismol’s active ingredient is bismuth subsalicylate, and its inactive ingredients are Benzoic, D&C Red No. 22, D&C Red No. 28, Flavor, Gellan Gum, Magnesium Aluminum Silicate, Methylcellulose, Salicylic acid, Sodium Salicylate, Sorbic acid, Sucralose, and water. When taking the tablets always chew before swallowing them, and always use them how it’s directed on the label.
Medication pill on white textile. Piqsels.com. CreativeCommons. Nothing Changed.
The way Bismuth subsalicylate works is it decreases the flow of fluids and electrolytes in the bowel, reduces inflammation in the intestine, and kills the organisms that can cause diarrhea.
Eating bland, dry foods, like crackers, and slowly drinking gradually more and more water helps with nausea/vomiting. Eating can often stop nausea but when you eat too much while you feel nauseous it can just make it easier to vomit. Eating or drinking quickly may make your body feel like there’s a threat, especially if you are already nauseous. So that is why it is very important to eat and drink slowly when you are nauseous, side effects could be vomiting if you eat too much or too quickly. If you drink a lot of water or watery foods, sweet foods, or greasy foods, it will just make it easier to vomit too. Keep in mind that if your body really wants to vomit it is better to let it out than hold it in. Whenever you eat when you are nauseous don’t eat a lot, just take tiny sips of water and tiny bites of dry foods like crackers.
Crackers. Quinn Dombrowski. Flickr.com. 2008. CC BY-SA 2.0. Nothing Changed.
Eating and drinking something is always good for your body because it hydrates you so it will calm down your insides and make it feel like there is no longer a threat. Eating slowly when you're nauseous can pack down and calm down your body also just to settle down what’s in your stomach. It is also best to eat bland foods because spicy, super sweet, or greasy foods tend to upset your stomach more.
These three types of treatments for nausea/vomiting are all quite different. The prescribed medication stops chemicals in the body from creating nausea and vomiting, it is the treatment that does the most to take away nausea/vomiting directly. The over-the-counter medication Bismuth subsalicylate stops all the commotion in your bowels but doesn’t stop what was causing nausea/vomiting. The last treatment which was slowly drinking and eating bland, dry foods, doesn’t do very much to your insides. This treatment is more for controlling your nausea so you don’t vomit and making your stomach settle down.
Thank you for reading my blog post! The reason I chose to research treatments for nausea/vomiting was that I often get nauseous. I didn't expect the information I learned to be super helpful but after all the research the knowledge has actually already come in handy multiple times. There was a lot of digging for information in websites but it was actually quite fun and interesting. I liked this project a lot because I learned about things that are helpful to my life. I hope you liked my blog post!
Citations:
“Bismuth Subsalicylate: Medlineplus Drug Information.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a607040.html.
“Eating When You Have Nausea and Vomiting .” Eating When You Have Nausea and Vomiting, https://www.breastcancer.org/managing-life/diet-nutrition/healthy-eating-during-treatment/eating-with-side-effects/nausea-vomiting.
-, K. S., By, -, Kat SmithKat Smith writes for the MeMD blog. Check back for her latest posts covering health and wellness., Smith, K., Kat Smith writes for the MeMD blog. Check back for her latest posts covering health and wellness., & here, P. enter your name. (2016, September 29). What happens to your body when you feel nauseous? MeMD Blog. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://blog.memd.me/happens-body-feel-nauseous/#:~:text=When%20you%20feel%20nauseated%2C%20you,you%20might%20lose%20your%20lunch
“Nausea & Vomiting: Treatment & Care.” Cleveland Clinic, https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/symptoms/8106-nausea--vomiting.
“Nausea and Vomiting.” Mayo Clinic, Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research, 8 Apr. 2022, https://www.mayoclinic.org/symptoms/nausea/basics/definition/sym-20050736.
“Ondansetron: Medlineplus Drug Information.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601209.html#:~:text=Ondansetron%20is%20used%20to%20prevent,may%20cause%20nausea%20and%20vomiting.
“Ondansetron: Medlineplus Drug Information.” MedlinePlus, U.S. National Library of Medicine, https://medlineplus.gov/druginfo/meds/a601209.html#why.
“Ondansetron Uses, Dosage & Side Effects.” Drugs.com, https://www.drugs.com/ondansetron.html.
“Pepto-Bismol Uses, Side Effects & Warnings.” Drugs.com, https://www.drugs.com/mtm/pepto-bismol.html.
“Pepto-Bismol.” Smart Label, https://smartlabel.pg.com/00301490039045.html.
WebMD. (n.d.). Nausea and vomiting - common causes and how to treat it. WebMD. Retrieved May 13, 2022, from https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-nausea-vomiting#091e9c5e800079b6-3-5 Zofran (Ondansetron Hydrochloride) Label. https://www.accessdata.fda.gov/drugsatfda_docs/label/2016/020103s035_020605s019_020781s019lbl.pdf.
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